1966 Penn State Nittany Lions football team

American college football season

1966 Penn State Nittany Lions football

Conference| Independent
Record| 5–5
Head coach|

* Joe Paterno (1st season)

Offensive scheme| I formation
Defensive coordinator| Jim O'Hora (1st season)
Base defense| 4–3
Captains|

* Mike Irwin
* John Runnells

Home stadium| Beaver Stadium

Seasons

<- 1965

1967 ->

1966 NCAA University Division independents football records

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| Conf |  |  | Overall

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Team | W |  | L |  | T |  |  | W |  | L |  | T
No. 1 Notre Dame |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 9  | - | 0  | - | 1
Colgate |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 8  | - | 1  | - | 1
No. 8 Georgia Tech |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 9  | - | 2  | - | 0
Army |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 8  | - | 2  | - | 0
Dayton |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 8  | - | 2  | - | 0
Houston |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 8  | - | 2  | - | 0
Memphis State |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 7  | - | 2  | - | 0
No. 9 Miami (FL) |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 8  | - | 2  | - | 1
Virginia Tech |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 8  | - | 2  | - | 1
Syracuse |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 8  | - | 3  | - | 0
Colorado State |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 7  | - | 3  | - | 0
New Mexico State |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 7  | - | 3  | - | 0
West Texas State |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 7  | - | 3  | - | 0
Villanova |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 6  | - | 3  | - | 0
Holy Cross |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 6  | - | 3  | - | 1
Southern Miss |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 6  | - | 4  | - | 0
Texas Western |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 6  | - | 4  | - | 0
Tulane |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 5  | - | 4  | - | 1
Florida State |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 6  | - | 5  | - | 0
Buffalo |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 5  | - | 5  | - | 0
Penn State |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 5  | - | 5  | - | 0
Air Force |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 4  | - | 6  | - | 0
Boston College |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 4  | - | 6  | - | 0
Navy |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 4  | - | 6  | - | 0
Utah State |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 4  | - | 6  | - | 0
Xavier |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 4  | - | 6  | - | 0
Pacific |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 4  | - | 7  | - | 0
San Jose State |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 3  | - | 7  | - | 0
Pittsburgh |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 1  | - | 9  | - | 0
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1966 Penn State Nittany Lions football team represented Penn State University during the 1966 NCAA University Division football season.[1] It was Joe Paterno's first season as head coach of Penn State.

## Schedule

[edit]

Date| Opponent| Site| TV| Result| Attendance| Source

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September 17| Maryland|

* Beaver Stadium
* University Park, PA (rivalry)

| | W 15–7| 40,911| [2]
September 24| at No. 1 Michigan State|

* Spartan Stadium
* East Lansing, MI (rivalry)

| | L 8–42| 64,860|
October 1| at Army|

* Michie Stadium
* West Point, NY

| | L 0–11| 31,112|
October 8| Boston College|

* Beaver Stadium
* University Park, PA

| | W 30–21| 30,924|
October 15| at No. 4 UCLA|

* Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
* Los Angeles, CA

| | L 11–49| 37,271|
October 22| at West Virginia|

* Mountaineer Field
* Morgantown, WV (rivalry)

| | W 38–6| 15,835–30,000| [3]
October 29| California|

* Beaver Stadium
* University Park, PA

| | W 33–15| 33,332|
November 5| Syracuse|

* Beaver Stadium
* University Park, PA (rivalry)

| ABC regional| L 10–12| 45,126|
November 12| at No. 5 Georgia Tech|

* Grant Field
* Atlanta, GA

| | L 0–21| 50,172| [4]
November 19| at Pittsburgh|

* Pitt Stadium
* Pittsburgh, PA (rivalry)

| | W 48–24| 30,467|

* Homecoming
* Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

## Game summaries

[edit]

### Maryland

[edit]

|  | 1 | 2| 3| 4| Total

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Maryland | 7 | 0| 0| 0 | 7
• Penn St | 11 | 0| 0| 4 | 15

* Date: September 17
* Location: Beaver Stadium, University Park, Pennsylvania
* Game attendance: 40,911

| Scoring summary

Q1| | MD| Torain 15 yard run (Bramson kick)| MD 7–0
Q1| | PSU| Safety, Carlson forced out of end zone| MD 7–2
Q1| | PSU| White 2 yard run (pass failed)| PSU 8–7
Q1| | PSU| Sherman 23 yard field goal| PSU 11–7
Q4| | PSU| Safety, Pastrana tackled in end zone| PSU 13–7
Q4| | PSU| Safety, Petry illegal pass from end zone| PSU 15–7

[5]

### Michigan State

[edit]

This section is empty. You can help by adding to it. (January 2014)

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### Army

[edit]

This section is empty. You can help by adding to it. (January 2014)

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### Boston College

[edit]

This section is empty. You can help by adding to it. (June 2014)

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### UCLA

[edit]

This section is empty. You can help by adding to it. (June 2014)

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### West Virginia

[edit]

This section is empty. You can help by adding to it. (June 2014)

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## Roster

[edit]

1966 Penn State Nittany Lions football team roster

Players  | Coaches
Offense | Pos. | # | Name | Class

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OT | `73` | Dave Bradley | So
OT | `77` | Rich Buzin | Jr
WR | `23` | Bob Campbell | So
C | `53` | Bill Lenkaitis | So
QB | `25` | Tom Sherman | Jr
Defense | Pos. | # | Name | Class

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DT | `79` | Mike McBath | Jr
Special teams | Pos. | # | Name | Class

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Head coach

* Joe Paterno

Coordinators/assistant coaches

* Earl Bruce
Freshman coach/Assistant varsity coach
* Joe McMullen
Offensive line
* Jim O'Hora
Defensive line/Overall defense
* Frank Patrick
Defensive backfield/Kickers
* Bob Phillips
Offensive ends
* Dan Radakovich
Linebackers
* George Welsh
Offensive backfield
* J. T. White
Defensive ends

* * *

Legend

* (C) Team captain
* (S) Suspended
* (I) Ineligible

* Injured
* Redshirt

## NFL/AFL Common Draft

[edit]

Three Nittany Lions were drafted in the 1967 NFL/AFL Common draft.

Round | Pick | Overall | Name | Position | Team

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2nd | 27 | 53 | Dave Rowe | Defensive tackle | New Orleans Saints
10th | 20 | 257 | John Runnells | Linebacker | Boston Patriots
16th | 22 | 415 | Mike Irwin | Defensive back/Running back | Buffalo Bills

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Penn State Yearly Results (1965-1969)". College Football Data Warehouse. David DeLassus. Archived from the original on August 5, 2015. Retrieved July 26, 2015.
2. ^ "Penn State's 'safety blitz' ruins Maryland in opener". The Philadelphia Inquirer. September 18, 1966. Retrieved January 21, 2024 - via Newspapers.com.
3. ^ "Nittany Lions handily defeat Mountaineers, 38–6". Beckley Post-Herald & The Raleigh Register. October 23, 1966. Retrieved January 20, 2024 - via Newspapers.com.
4. ^ "Ga. Tech notches 9th straight, 21–0". Winston-Salem Journal and Sentinel. November 13, 1966. Retrieved July 24, 2024 - via Newspapers.com.
5. ^ "Penn State Trips Terrapins, 15-7." Palm Beach Post. 1966 Sept 18. Retrieved 2014-Jan-14.

* v
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Penn State Nittany Lions football

Venues|

* Old Main lawn (until 1891)
* Beaver Field (1892–1908)
* New Beaver Field (1909–1959)
* Beaver Stadium (1960–present)

Bowls & rivalries|

* Bowl games
* Alabama
* Maryland
* Michigan
* Michigan State
* Minnesota: Governor's Victory Bell
* Ohio State
* Old Ironsides
* Pittsburgh
* Syracuse
* West Virginia

Culture & lore|

* Nittany Lion
* "Fight On, State"
* Penn State Blue Band
* Uplifting Athletes
* Joe Paterno statue
* Something for Joey
* 1982 Nebraska game
* Child sex abuse scandal
* 2016 Ohio State game
* Paterno
* White Out
* 2021 Illinois game

People|

* Head coaches
* All-Americans
* Statistical leaders
* NFL draftees

Seasons|

* 1881
* 1882–1886
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National championship seasons in bold

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*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template
*[Conf]: Conference record
*[W]: Wins
*[L]: Losses
*[T]: Ties
*[No.]: Number